Summary
After its rapid ascent in the 1980s anddominance of the 1990s, the JRPG has ascended to one of the most popular genres in the entire video game industry. And, while many of them adhere to simple, long-held design philosophies that still work, a few JRPGs over the years have attempted to be something a bit different.
Whether it was the introduction of a new combat system or a unique way of presenting its story, the JRPGs that have dared to deviate have proven to be some of the best in the genre. In a genre filled with games that can often start to feel pretty similar, others were able to be rather forward-thinking. Some approaches stuck, while others are almost entirely confined to the unique gem that invented it. Whatever the case may be, these JRPGs were massively ahead of their time in terms of design, systems, and storytelling techniques.
Updated Jun 20, 2025 by Maddie Fisher:JRPGs are one of the oldest video game genres, dating back to the early 1980s. During that time, it has been at the forefront of creating innovative and unique experiences in the industry. This list has been updated to reflect that, adding four more entries as well as some new information on already-established games.
Vagrant Storywas directed by Yasumi Matsuno, who used the opportunity toreturn to the world of Ivalice, which first appeared inFinal Fantasy Tactics. Seeking to create something unique, Matsuno and his team worked tirelessly on what became one of the PS1’s most incredible games, as this innovative JRPG combined traditional turn-based inputs with a more immediate, action-focused combat system.
Random encounters that dominated the genre at the time were gone, asVagrant Storyfeatured enemies and monsters roaming the world. This would become a major part ofFinal Fantasyin the coming years, having a profound impact on Square’s design philosophies moving forward. Its stellar art direction made the most of the limited PS1 hardware, featuring impressive lighting and character modeling.
While JRPGs were one of the most popular genres of the 1990s, it’s fair tosay that survival horror gamesweren’t far behind, as titles likeResident EvilandSilent Hillused fear and paranoia to create a new type of experience. Square took that to heart when they combinedResident EvilandFinal Fantasy, resulting in 1998’sParasite Eve, a brilliant fusion of JRPGs and survival horror that is still one of the most compelling and innovative experiences of all time.
Based on the novel of the same name,Parasite Eveis a mix of the turn-based combat seen inFinal Fantasywith the inventory management and puzzle systems featured in games likeResident EvilandDino Crisis. This survival horror JRPG also features a fascinating story that explores the themes of motherhood and genes, telling a harrowing tale of self-discovery and loss of identity. Its examination of dark themes and unique systems remains without an equal today, as games like this still don’t come around very often.
After spending the better part of a decade making games set in traditional fantasy worlds, Square decided to takeFinal Fantasyin a new direction with the seventh mainline entry. And in the wake of their public fallout with Nintendo, Square embraced the older demographic of the Sony PlayStation by appealing to teens and young adults withFinal Fantasy 7, anincredible turn-based JRPGset in a cyberpunk dystopia.
Instead of knights and wizards,Final Fantasy 7was a world of machine guns, mercenaries, and megacorporations, a spectacular world that was unlike any other at the time. Exploring themes like the fragility of life and the protection of Earth’s natural beauty,Final Fantasy 7was a revolution in many ways, and the state-of-the-art CG cutscenes are still amazing. It was also one of the first games within an overarching franchise to spawn its own multimedia series, as theCompilation of Final Fantasy 7continues to showcase why this legendary release became a phenomenon.
Made up of some of Sega’s most talented team members,Valkyria Chronicleswas produced to create a story that explored the themes of war and love. While many games take place duringa time of war,Valkyria Chroniclesuses its vibrant art style and spectacular combat system to convey its tale uniquely. Set on the fictional continent of Europa,Valkyria Chroniclesis vaguely based on World War 2 and is still a stunning game to this day.
Exploring a war-torn romance between Welkin and Alicia, as their charming, honest love story co-exists alongside the game’s examination of racism and discrimination. It expertly combines a rich, multi-layered story with some stellar turn-based combat, as moving soldiers around the field in 3D feels excellent. Unlike other strategy JRPGs of the time,Valkyria Chroniclesallows the player to actively aim their weapons in 3D, adding a unique feeling that is still unmatched to this day.
Inspired by the unique control scheme of the Nintendo DS, Square Enix envisioned a way to create a unique dual-screen battle system for a JRPG. The result wasThe World Ends With You, one ofthe best action JRPGs from the 2000s.The World Ends With You isa game set in Shibuya that pits Neku and his friends against a deadly seven-day event known as the Reapers' Game.
Drawing from elements of anime and multiple types of music,The World Ends With Youfeatures a cast of outstanding characters and one of the most fascinating battle systems ever seen in a JRPG. It uses both screens of the DS and was even successfully transported into modern times thanks to an updated Switch port in 2018, making this marvelous JRPG available to play on modern hardware.
After leaving Square Enix and theFinal Fantasyfranchise, Hironobu Sakaguchi founded Mistwalker, signing a contract with Microsoft that would see them fundLost Odyssey. Thiscompelling turn-based JRPGwas Sakaguchi’s second effort with Microsoft, following 2006’sBlue Dragon, and turned into one of the finest efforts of his legendary career.
Lost Odysseyfeatures a unique turn-based battle system, where instead of each party member performing an attack one by one, the player inputs actions for all of them at the beginning of a turn. Attacks are then further enhanced with a well-timed button press, which adds an extra layer of punch.Lost Odysseyhas sadly never been remastered for modern Xbox consoles, but it is available via the backward compatibility program — and is still worth diving into today.
A majority of JRPGs during the 1990s were built around fantasy kingdoms with knights, wizards, and magic, but Shigesato Itoi and Nintendo were intent on breaking those conventions with 1994’sEarthBound. The world ofEarthBoundis more like a 1980s science fiction film than a high fantasy adventure, as Ness and his friends go on an adventure across a surreal, quirky world full of outlandish enemies to stop the imminent invasion of Giygas.
Butwhat makesEarthBoundso remarkableis just how effortlessly these elements blend, as Itoi’s unique brand of storytelling mixed with strong design resulted in a game that is still being sourced and referenced today. The concept of an off-beat JRPG that takes place in a semi-realistic world, which has dominated the indie scene for years, can be traced back directly toEarthBound, as its ability to hide a dark, complex story behind a colorful SNES game is still an impressive feat. Thankfully,EarthBoundis readily available today, as it is a part of the Nintendo Switch Online service.
Initially,Xenogearswas pitched as a story forFinal Fantasy 7but was deemed too dark for the series and was transformed into an entirely different project. It worked out for the best, as both games became stone-cold classics for Sony’s hardware. Combining elements ofStar WarsandFinal Fantasy,Xenogearsputs players in control of Fei Fong Wong in an epic, multi-disc adventure where a group of rebels attempt to destroy a tyrannical organization known as Solaris.
Xenogearswas unique for the time as its complicated exploration of religion and philosophy was not the norm, with the development team taking two years to create its incredible world and mythology. Combat inXenogearsunfolds with a hand-to-hand system, where attacks are correlated to the face buttons, while also implementing stunning mech battles. It isan altogether brilliant experience, with a refreshing style of combat and a wonderfully thematic story that still holds up.
9Valkyrie Profile
Norse Mythology-Inspired JRPG Is One Of The PS1’s Greatest Achievements
Inspired by the Norse legends,Valkyrie Profilecrafted a contemporary vision of the ancient tales that blended elements of myth with science fiction. A gripping tale of redemption and sacrifice, this epic PS1 JRPG puts players incontrol of Lenneth Valkyrieas she travels across the land to gather warriors for the impending arrival of Ragnarok.
Valkyrie Profile’scombat is fantastic, as each party member is mapped to a specific face button. Pressing it will initiate an attack with them, creating a sense of immediacy with combat that hadn’t been seen in JRPGs at the time. It feels fabulous to play, and flying around the world map with Lenneth gives the game a scale that its contemporaries had trouble replicating. An updated version ofValkyrie Profileis currently available on PS5 and mobile, making it easy to jump into this outstanding adventure.
10Radiata Stories
PS2 JRPG Features Story With Humor And Heart
A joint venture between tri-Ace and Square Enix,Radiata Storiesis a fascinating JRPG that wasreleased during the final years of the PS2in 2005. As a result, it was a game that took full advantage of the hardware and produced something truly special.Radiata Storiesputs a focus on interactivity, as the world feels alive in ways that other JRPGs from the time didn’t.
Featuring a day and night cycleand a staggering number of recruitable NPCs (up to 176),Radiata Storiesplaces a strong emphasis on its world and its inhabitants. The player can also duel random characters, as well, which gives NPCs more personality than even some modern games. It is a spectacular game, one that saw a spiritual sequel released for the DS in 2011 — known asRadiant Historia.
